White Sox top Astros in Game 1; first playoff win in 5 years - ESPN

HOUSTON — Colson Montgomery hit a solo homer and Sam Antonacci drove in two runs to lead the Chicago White Sox over the Houston Astros 6-3 in Game 1 of an American League Wild Card Series on Tuesday.

The White Sox, in the postseason for the first time since 2021, made a remarkable turnaround this year to become the only team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth. They had lost 100 games three straight seasons, including 121 defeats in 2024, setting the record for most losses since 1899.

The White Sox received a letter of support from Pope Leo XIV, a Chicago native, before the game and got to work immediately to show off for the pontiff.

They led 3-0 after two innings and held on for their first playoff win since Oct. 10, 2021 in the AL Division Series against Houston.

The AL West-winning Astros eked into the playoffs with an 81-81 record to become the first team to reach the postseason without a winning record. Houston lost its eighth straight home playoff game in its ninth trip to the postseason in the past 10 years.

Game 2 in the best-of-three series is Wednesday in Houston.

Houston had runners on first and third with two outs in the eighth after singles by Jeremy Pena and MVP favorite Yordan Alvarez when Jose Altuve reached and Pena scored on an error by third baseman Miguel Vargas to cut the lead to 6-3.

The Astros' tough day came in front of a surprisingly thin crowd. The announced attendance was 34,011 in a park with a capacity of 40,963. The home fans peppered the team with some boos when it fell behind early.

Both teams went with a bullpen game and combined to use 13 pitchers. Chicago opened with rookie left-hander Hagen Smith, and he gave up two hits in three